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Checklist · England

Documents to rent a home in England

What landlords and agents in England ask tenants for, including the Right to Rent check every adult must have, and the legal limits on deposits.

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What landlords and agents ask for
What to get from the landlord

Renting in England

Letting agents and landlords in England follow a fairly standard process: a holding deposit to reserve the home, referencing (income, previous landlord, sometimes a guarantor), a Right to Rent check, then the agreement and the move-in money. This checklist covers the documents for each step and the limits the law puts on what you pay.

Deposits

A holding deposit can be at most one week's rent. The tenancy deposit is capped at five weeks' rent (six if the yearly rent is £50,000 or more) and must be protected in a government-approved scheme within 30 days. Once you and the landlord agree what comes back at the end, it must be returned within 10 days.

At move-in, go through the inventory room by room. If there isn't one, use the move-in checklist and send it to the landlord with your photos.

Local rules we checked

Rules change and local laws can add more. Follow the source link before you rely on one.

  • England: Right to Rent

    Landlords must check every tenant aged 18 or over before a new tenancy starts, even if they aren’t named on the agreement. It’s against the law to check only people the landlord thinks are not British citizens.

    Source
  • England: deposits

    A holding deposit can be up to one week’s rent. A tenancy deposit can be up to five weeks’ rent if the yearly rent is under £50,000, or six weeks’ if it is £50,000 or more.

    Source
  • England: deposit protection

    The landlord or agent must put your deposit in a government-approved scheme within 30 days of getting it, and return it within 10 days of you both agreeing how much you’ll get back.

    Source
Fact-checked October 24, 2026

Right to Rent, deposit caps and deposit protection checked on GOV.UK. The rest of the list (income proof, references, guarantor) is common practice, not a legal requirement.

Sources

  1. Check your tenant’s right to rent · GOV.UK (accessed October 24, 2026)
  2. Private renting: deposits · GOV.UK (accessed October 24, 2026)
  3. Tenancy deposit protection · GOV.UK (accessed October 24, 2026)

General information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change; confirm with the agency or a professional before you act.